PHILLIES FILES: A week after surprising Panama team at LL World Series, Ruiz takes BP for first time

August 22, 2012|By Mandy Housenick, Of The Morning Call

PHILADELPHIA — As planned, Carlos Ruiztook batting practice on the field before Wednesday's game for the first time since going on the DL on Aug. 3 with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. While the team was on a recent road trip, Ruiz went to the Little League World Series in Williamsport and surprised the team from Panama (where he's from). Ruiz met all the players and took a group picture with them. One player is from Ruiz's home town, and Ruiz said he played baseball with his dad.

-Nate Schierholtzalso is getting closer to being ready to be activated. He took BP and jogged for the first time since going on the disabled list Aug. 13 with a broken right big toe. He said he thinks he will be able to come off the DL the first day he's eligible (Tuesday, Aug. 28).

-Placido Polancois making his second start since coming off the DL on Monday. Kevin Frandsen started Tuesday's game and went 3-for-4 with a RBI triple and two outstanding plays defensively.

"We've got to give Polanco some at-bats to see if we can get him going," said Charlie Manuel, who added that Frandsen will start Thursday's game.

-Jonathan Papelbon enters Wednesday's game with at least one save against every team in MLB except one---the Reds. If the righty gets a save against the Reds either tonight or tomorrow, he'd be the 11thbig leaguer in MLB history to have one save against 30 clubs (two of them also played for the Phillies: Jose Mesa and Ugueth Urbina).